Spending Goals Report - March 17

I've totally slacked off on reporting on my spending goals.  But, I am happy to say that so far I'm doing much better this month than I did last month.  We are still trying to find the best way to allocate the cash to prevent going over budget and at the same time make sure I have enough on hand.  At this point we have opted for taking out cash on a weekly basis for groceries (all other cash we take out every other week).

Here's where we were at the end of February.

One issue I'm running into is that the month and our budget month don't line up.  So I'm having to just remind myself that it doesn't matter and as long as I don't over-spend in the 4 week period that makes up a month (as per the Savings/Spending tracker, I'm good.

So here's the list of the trips so far this month (March)....

• Kroger, paid $1.22 for $45.88 worth of groceries (used up the remaining $3 Daytona Qs on this one). (2/25)
• Kroger, paid $7.49 for $25.51 worth of groceries (3/1)
  - returned $2.70, so total spent was only $5
• CostCo, paid $3.79(3/1)
• CVS, paid $9.15, for $20.97 worth of drugstore items (left with $11 in ECB) (3/3)
• Rite Aid, paid $3.14 for $27.35 worth of drugstore items (used $8+UPs, got back $1+UP) (3/3)
• Publix, paid $8.65 for $38.62 worth of groceries (3/3)
• Walgreens, paid $8.08 for $31.34 worth of drugstore items (used $5RR, got back $4RR) (3/5)
• Rite Aid, paid $6.62 for $26.95 worth of drugstore items (I know I used some +UPs and got some back, just didn't enter it in my tracker) (3/11)
• Walgreens, paid $41.44 for $115.75 worth of items (this was my Swiffer stock up trip - started with $4RR, left with $6RR) (3/11)
• Publix, paid $23.15 for $66.32 worth of groceries (3/11)
• Kroger, paid $20.71 for $41.31 (3/11)

All of my spending totals include tax and I have to say that tax puts a really big dent into what I spend.  If I had to estimate I'd say that tax ends up being about 30-40% of what I end up spending (since tax is paid on the pre-coupon total).  Overall, my savings rate so far this month is just about 75%, which seems to be about where I average out every month.  I was just a little lower last month.  I have a feeling that rate may go up slightly as I shop at Kroger less and less.  They seem to bring my percentage down, with savings around 55% compared to the 75% at Publix and usually over 90% at the drugstores.  It really makes me wish our drugstores carried more in the way of groceries around here, but they rarely even have the advertised grocery items available.

•